A NEW DIRECTION FOR A STYLE CLASSIC

07.04.16

HARROGATE RELAUNCHED– THE PORTOBELLO COLLECTION ARRIVES

In March, the Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate was the venue for a demonstration of fine cuisine and the launch of the latest concepts from inspirational kitchen maker, Mark Wilkinson Furniture.

07.04.16

MICHEL ROUX JR’s PERSONAL CHOICE

Michel Roux Jr has a house in France and keeps a traditionally elegant apartment in Clapham for himself, his wife Giselle and daughter Emily, who is currently learning the art of the chef in Paris.

07.04.16

SHANGARA – SOARING ELEGANCE IN CHELSEA

A beautifully proportioned and symmetrical Chelsea townhouse is the perfect fit for the elegant and refined Shan Gara collection.

07.04.16

HOLLAND PARK SHOWROOM REOPENS WITH A FRENCH FLOURISH

An invited audience of ‘lifestyle-lovers’, which included home-owners, interior designers, international artists and journalists, shared in celebrating the new look Mark Wilkinson Showroom on Holland Park Avenue.

07.04.16

PORTOBELLO – CONTEMPORARY URBAN STYLE

Portobello, a contemporary kitchen collection from Mark Wilkinson Furniture, takes its design inspiration from one of London's most iconic streets.

06.04.16

MARILYN

Handmade in the company’s workshop limited numbers of this sensually sculpted cabinet are made each year to client’s individual specification.

16.11.17

The Walpole British Luxury Awards

Held in late November at the Dorchester Hotel and hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Walpole's British Luxury awards celebrated the legend of Mark Wilkinson OBE.

Selected by an expert panel of judges from the luxury industry from Michael Ward, MD of Harrods to Walpole’s Chairman; Gillian de Bono, to the Editor of FT How to Spend It; Hannah Rothschild. The late Mark Wilkinson's wife, Cynthia collected Walpole's honourable lifetime achievement award on his behalf.

“Mark’s work completely redefined what we understand by a beautifully designed kitchen. Described by one critic as the ‘Mozart of kitchen cabinet makers’, he, more than anyone was responsible for switching the focus away from the kitchen as a utilitarian work-place and into the centre of elegant entertaining. He made the kitchen the heart of the home.” -Helen Brocklebank, Walpole CEO

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MARK WILKINSON, OBE

It is with great sadness that Canburg announces that Mark Wilkinson OBE, one of the world’s most influential designers has passed away peacefully at his home in Wiltshire.

A truly English “eccentric” Mark Wilkinson was a visionary designer and an exceptionally skilled craftsman and furniture maker. Amongst other accolades, he was a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers, a Fellow of the City and Guilds Institute and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers of the City of London; in 2010 he was awarded an OBE for Services to the Furniture Industry and Charity. Mark was also a member of MENSA.

During his long career his designs ranged from clothing to object d’art, but it is for furniture that he will be best remembered. In 1977 his first kitchen design in old pine pioneered the “English Country kitchen” and launched a new industry specialising in this aesthetic and style of living. Mark was a co-founder of Smallbone of Devizes and in 1981 he founded Mark Wilkinson Furniture. The company was sold to Canburg in 2009 and Mark was made Group Creative Director; he remained involved in the business until his death.

Best described as “furniture alchemy” the designs and artisan making of Mark Wilkinson Furniture carries forward Mark Wilkinson’s values in every piece that the company makes – inspired by a sustainable vision of bespoke furniture, rich with heritage and imbued with Mark’s infectious creativity.

Born in 1950, in North London, Mark’s early educational experiences as a child with dyslexia, informed both professional choices and personal passions. He had a long-standing commitment to supporting charities for dyslexia and the educational needs of children with the disability. He and his wife, Cynthia, had recently formed the Mark Wilkinson Foundation for Innovation and Employment to help further the ambitions and careers of young people with dyslexia.

A NEW DIRECTION FOR A STYLE CLASSIC

Britain’s finest furniture maker, Mark Wilkinson Furniture, is celebrating the start of a fifth decade of world-leading furniture design born of a deep-rooted craftsmanship and sense of occasion. Showcasing a new livery for all their showrooms, emphasising it’s world-quality heritage, the new colours employ metal accents in Brushed Gold Titanium, subtly paired with a classic Georgian Brown painted background, reflecting as it does its artisanal roots embroidered into the status that owning the furniture brings.

The unashamedly luxurious brushed metal with concealed halo lighting are techniques that are reflective of Mark Wilkinson’s influence on aspirational lifestyle and will sit comfortably with the most modern of homes. This mould-breaking new store front is already drawing accolades from seasoned market-leading style observers and is naturally followed through by the collections that lie within, proudly earning the accolade, ‘Furniture Alchemy’.

HARROGATE RELAUNCHED– THE PORTOBELLO COLLECTION ARRIVES

In March, the Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate was the venue for a demonstration of fine cuisine and the launch of the latest concepts from inspirational kitchen maker, Mark Wilkinson Furniture.

In its completely refurbished showroom on Crescent Road, the design-leading company explored fresh ideas that show the kitchen as a space for sophisticated entertainment, taking it a step forward in integrating our homes to contemporary lifestyles.

Cllr Nigel Simms, the Mayor of Harrogate presided over the reopening and was introduced by Mark Wilkinson OBE, who was honoured by the Queen in 2010 for his services to the Furniture Industry.

Local homeowners, Interior Designers and journalists, enjoyed a demonstration of cookery by Frances Atkins, who is co-owner of the Yorke Arms in Nidderdale and is one of only six female Michelin Star chefs in the country.

The ideas on show were an evolution of the company’s design culture, and emphasised the contemporary interaction between the kitchen and entertaining/relaxation spaces where family and friends can enjoy great food and good company.

The latest Portobello style, which takes its inspiration from the district of London that has become known for its colourful terraced homes and urban vibrancy, reflects the modern lifestyle. Examples include a sweeping marble top set within the expansive kitchen, providing both a bar for hosting and a worktop for preparing food and cooking. Elegant new solutions for storing and displaying collections of fine wines integrate seamlessly within the overall space, while interior detail could be seen in an exquisitely created ‘breakfast cupboard’ that opens up like cabinet of curiosities to reveal all of the elements for the family’s morning meal and folds away when breakfast is served.

This Harrogate showroom, situated close to the Royal Pump Room, is a magnificent space with high ceilings and elegant architectural detail and now offers new inspiration for modern living, with a highly experienced design team on hand to discuss ways for clients to commission spaces that meet their individual needs.

Mark Wilkinson OBE, says: “The Harrogate showroom takes us forward in a manner that integrates kitchen furniture with contemporary lifestyle. We are showing a spectrum of kitchen styles; internal and external colours, textures and finishes, embodied in a display that takes kitchen design to the next level".

Mark Wilkinson has always been considered a design leader and this new development for the company is likely to set new standards for design in the focal rooms in our homes, such as kitchens, studies, wine rooms and bedrooms.

MICHEL ROUX JR’s PERSONAL CHOICE

Michel Roux Jr has a house in France and keeps a traditionally elegant apartment in Clapham for himself, his wife Giselle and daughter Emily, who is currently learning the art of the chef in Paris.

For a family with so many generations dedicated to the art of cooking, the company chosen to design and supply a new kitchen in his home, had to be the best. Michel discovered that many of his contemporaries enjoyed Mark Wilkinson kitchens at home.
Having heard what both Michel and Giselle wanted from their new kitchen, Mark Wilkinson Designer, Leila Conway introduced them to the New England Collection with a contemporary twist in choice of colour.

"Although this is a kitchen for Michel, one of the country's top chefs, he was keen that it is also a family kitchen," Leila says, "and quite different from the commercial kitchens that he works in at the restaurant. There are, obviously, some similarities. For instance, at Le Gavroche Michel uses 'induction' cooking and was keen to include the latest Induction technology in the space”.

Michel says: “A kitchen really is the heart of family living, particularly when you come from such a food-focused family as we are. So, as well as being a practical space that gives you enough room to store and prepare everything, it should allow you to express your own style and display some of the special things that you have collected.”

SHANGARA – SOARING ELEGANCE IN CHELSEA

A beautifully proportioned and symmetrical Chelsea townhouse is the perfect fit for the elegant and refined Shan Gara collection. The soaring ceiling height has been enhanced by the use of mirror fronted doors in the upper cabinetry and the space has been finished with wall paneling that integrates seamlessly into the furniture.

Inspired by the Orient, Mark Wilkinson’s Shan Gara is his instinctive translation based on his observations and feeling for the region’s timeless and highly cultured lifestyle. With Shan Gara he has taken the idea of beautiful, simple and evocative forms and created this intriguing collection that is both functional and full of surprise.

HOLLAND PARK SHOWROOM REOPENS WITH A FRENCH FLOURISH

An invited audience of ‘lifestyle-lovers’, which included home-owners, interior designers, international artists and journalists, shared in celebrating the new look Mark Wilkinson Showroom on Holland Park Avenue.

After mingling over a glass of champagne, guests were welcomed to the event by master designer Mark Wilkinson OBE, who introduced the company’s rationale in re-planning the magnificent showroom. He described the modern evolution of two of his collections, Newlyn and New England, which along with the Portobello collection, were designed to offer quite a different experience in viewing kitchens for the 21st century.

Mark explained, with great feeling, how a trusted brand-name is built when he explained a little of the history and background of the company. He ended with a view of how lifestyle-design is developing as the kitchen grown more central to modern life, with family, enjoyment of entertaining and food at its core.

The welcomes over, Mark passed the floor to the UK’s favorite French Chef, Michel Roux Jr., who installed Mark Wilkinson furniture in his family’s apartment in Clapham. Michel is, of course, chef at La Gavroche on Upper brook Street and he entertained guests with demonstrations of famous French dishes. These included Chicken with Saffron Milk Cap Mushrooms… or Poulet aux lactaires delicieux et Rhum. In true Roux tradition, Michel was assisted by his daughter, who is on her way to become an accomplished chef. Guests were spellbound by his demonstration and had opportunity to interact with Michel and to experience his culinary expertise.

PORTOBELLO – CONTEMPORARY URBAN STYLE

Portobello, a contemporary kitchen collection from Mark Wilkinson Furniture, takes its design inspiration from one of London's most iconic streets.

Vibrant, multicultural and buzzing with energy and excitement, Portobello Road has always sparked the imagination of famous film and TV directors, novelists, artists and musicians. Nestled in the trendy London district of Notting Hill, it draws visitors from all over the world to its market stalls, rich character and sense of history. Colourful in one sense but dynamic and cool in others, the young-at-heart are attracted to its unique atmosphere.

MARILYN

When asked a few years ago to design a bedroom cabinet where a lady could keep her treasured possessions, Mark Wilkinson glued together strips of walnut, drew out the shape that he wanted, roughed it out on a hi-tech woodworking machine and then began the hand-work that finally formed the piece. "I could imagine no better place to store beautiful jewellery than about the form of one of the World's most beautiful women," says Mark Wilkinson.

Handmade in the company’s workshop limited numbers of this sensually sculpted cabinet are made each year to client’s individual specification. Marilyn celebrates the prodigious talents of our Wiltshire based craftsmen.

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